§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the condemnation by military opinion of the proposal to create 182 batteries of Territorial Field Artillery, he proposes to persevere in that scheme, or whether he will now consent to limit it to an experiment with selected batteries.
The right hon. Gentleman added that his Question originally contained a reference to the debate in the House of Lords, in which the Territorial Artillery was described as a gamble, but the reference had been struck out by the officials.
§ MR. HALDANEPerhaps I had better simply answer the Question on the Paper. To the first part of the Question, Yes; to the second part, No.
§ MR. ARTHUR LEEQuite apart from the military opinion referred to, has not the scheme been described by a prominent Member of the Cabinet as a "big gamble"?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member can acquaint himself with that; the statement is open to everybody to read.
§ SIR IVOR HERBERTIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to accept the view that there has been universal condemnation of the proposal?
§ MR. HALDANECertainly not. All the advice I have received is the other way.
§ MR. ASHLEYAs a matter of fact, where is the right hon. Gentleman going to find ranges for all these batteries?
§ MR. HALDANEI do not think that arises out of the Question on the Paper.